An Early Look at Georgia Tech. Note, this is a pretty long post. I spent a lot of time reading about GT and sifting through rosters and stats. I wanted to give UK fans (like myself) an idea of who our opponent is and what it will take to beat them. What follows is a fairly detailed examination of who GT is and what they like to do. Hope everyone enjoys! Go Cats!
OFFENSE:
Overview: As soon as I heard GT was the opponent, I immediately thought of their grind it out triple option attack. Indeed, GT is a very, very run-based, handing the ball off roughly 77% of the time (the 5th highest percentage in the nation. UK, for comparison, runs 63% of the time, 13th in the country. GT was not involved in many “run out the clock” situations, so those numbers are fairly legitimate. However, it is a wrong to assume that they are a grind it out team. Their .435 points per play is 30th in the country, better than UK’s .415 points per play. This number indicates a more explosive offensive than one might realize, capable of ripping off big plays. What really sticks out is pace. You think UK is a grind it out team at 71 plays per game? Think again. Tech musters a meager 60 plays per game—dead last in college football. That, my friends, is a grind it out offense.
As for that triple option attack, it is just as advertised. Running plays from both under center and the pistol (and occasionally the shotgun) Tech will hit you with a variety of sweeps, options, veers, dives, draws, and—yes—cut blocks. The team as a whole is undersized, but they try to make up for it with precision assignment football, and defenses must account for every man on the field every play.
QB: Justin Thomas is the man here. The undersized (5’11 185) senior struggled last year breaking in underclassmen all around him. This year, though, Thomas has been flanked by veterans and has been very effective (within the confines of GT’s offense). Thomas has made good reads on the option, and when called on to run, has been generally effective (657 yards @ 5.7 yards per carry). GT obviously doesn’t want or need Thomas to throw very often. When he does throw he’s only marginally effective. His completion rate is a meager 54.5% with just over 9 yards per attempt. Don’t let his throwing fool you, though. His best qualities are his leadership and decision making—both of which are excellent. One positive note—from UK’s perspective—is that Thomas is fumble prone, coughing the ball up nine times this year.
RB: GT took a big hit when B-Back SO Marcus Marshall decided to transfer. In GT’s offense, the B-Back lines up behind the QB and gets most of the “conventional” hand-offs (dives, draws, off-tackle). Marshall was their leading yards per carry runner and was second to Johnson in total yards. Some reports from Atlanta indicate that Marshall believed he wasn’t getting enough carries, leading to his departure. In his stead, GT will lean more on true FR Dedrick Mills, who actually had 25 more carries than Marshall. The 5’10 217 lbs. back earned the coaching staff’s confidence as the season wore on, massing over 600 yards and 11 TD’s. At the A-Back, GT will rely on the trio of SO’s Qua Searcy and Clinton Lynch, and JR J.J. Green. All three are smallish (around 5’10 185 lbs.) flanker types that line up on the wings and take motion sweeps, counters, and the option pitch. While none of them are bruisers, each is capable of popping off big plays. Can UK stuff Mills in the middle while containing Thomas and his A-Backs in check on the edge? The answer to that question will be the key to the game.
WR: When you go play WR at GT, you’d better be ready to block. SO Brad Stewart (6’1, 197 lbs.) and JR Ricky Jeune (6’3 212 lbs.) both fit the bill. They are both willing, physical blockers—if not elite pass catchers. Jeune is the best pass catcher of the group, a possession type that runs good routes. His 22 catches and 37.4% target rate are the most of anyone else on the team—but at only 7.5 yards per catch. Oddly enough, Jeune has struggled with drops, catching only 45% of passes thrown to him. Stewart is more of a big play threat, but the real big play danger comes from A-Back Lynch, who gets has 16 catches for over 30 yards a catch.
OL: GT’s Oline is exactly what you’d expect from a triple-option team: smallish, under the radar blockers that have the agility and dexterity to get out on the edge or the second level. In fact, none of GT’s starting offensive linemen are at 300 lbs. The heaviest is SR C Freddie Burden, the 299 lbs. anchor of the line. Injuries pushed true freshmen LT Jahaziel Lee (6’2, 267 lbs.) and LG Parker Braun (6’3, 280 lbs.). Both have held their own, but their lack of size cannot be denied. The right side is manned by So. RG Will Bryan and Jr. RT Andrew Marshall. If you take the time to watch some of GT’s film, you’d know that their reputation as savage cut blockers is well-deserved. Can UK’s DL occupy the GT OL, keeping the legs of the LB’s and secondary safe? We’ll have to wait and see.
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DEFENSE: On defense, GT is giving up 26.4 points per game. At first glance, that’s much better than UK’s 32.8 points per game. But, given GT penchant for ball control on offense, their points per game should be much lower. And, upon closer inspection, a trend starts showing up in their defense. Most of their low scoring games were early in the season against weaker opponents. Mercer, Vandy (the early season version of Vandy) and Boston College were all early on the schedule, with GT hold these three teams to a combined 31 points. Even their early game vs. Clemson (a 7 to 26 loss) offered some hope for the defense. After that game, though, the wheels came off. In a four game stretch, UNC, Duke, and Pitt would shred the defense to the tune of 40 points per game. Throw in a lackluster win against Georgia Southern—who put 24 points on them—and you have a picture of a reeling defense, gashed by big plays left and right.
In the last three games, all wins, they seem to have righted the ship. The question remains, though: which GT defense will show up? The one being manhandled by UNC or the one that stifled VaTech? There is no consistent season arc for their defense, no lodestar on which to link their performance. The one common link to all of their woes is the inability to get off the field. Opponents convert 50% of their third down attempts against GT, 125th of 128 college teams. We know that it is an undersized, 4-3 unit that depends on discipline and technique rather than sheer athleticism. They have some playmakers, but their overall team speed and bulk leads me to believe they are vulnerable to a physical ground attack. They give up 4.9 yards per run attempt (89th in the country) and 7.1 yards per pass attempt (49th in the country), so the onus will most likely be on UK’s run game to ram it down their throats.
DL: The GT defensive line is anchored by Sr. DT Patrick Gamble. Gamble is a small but disruptive force that specializes in shooting the center/guard gap and making tackles in the backfield. His 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks leads the team. Sr. DT Francis Kallon is more of a run stuffer and ends Freeman and Rook-Chungong are smallish (245 lbs) defensive ends that, frankly, don’t generate much in the way of pass rush or stops behind the line.
LB: Perhaps the weakest area of the defense, GT runs a traditional 4-3 LB unit. SO Brant Mitchell is in the middle, while David Curry and P.J. Davis. It’s worth noting that the linebackers don’t get nearly as many tackles as the safties. Tech’s LB’s have struggled getting stops behind the line and only account for about 20% of the team tackles.
SC: SS Corey Griffin and FS A.J. Gray are first and second on the team in tackles, respectively. Both provide experience and excellent run support. Jr. Corner Lance Austin is one of the better corners in the ACC. Both he and his running mate Step Durham are tall, long corners that prefer zone coverage to man to man. They are physical, though, and have excellent ball skills.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K/P: Kicker Harrison Butker is accurate, has a great leg, and is one of the more effective special team weapons in the ACC. Punter Ryan Rodwell averages over 40 yards a punt and puts nearly 60% of his punts inside the twenty.
KR/PR: When not lined up at A-Back, J.J. Green an effective, sometimes electric kick returner, averaging over 26 yards per return with a touchdown on the year. Punt returner Brad Stewart is very similar to UK’s Charles Walker. His primary job is to not fumble, evidenced by his 2 to 1 fair catch to return ratio.
GAMEPLAN:
To win this game, GT will do the obvious: run the hell out of the ball and control the clock. When their defense is left on the field too long, they get into an untenable situation (like at North Carolina) very quickly. Unlike teams that run to set up the pass, GT runs to set up . . . runs! First on the edge, then to the middle, and then the counter; each run setting up the next. GT prides itself on doing more with less, recruiting under the radar types and plugging them into a system that requires discipline and smarts. If UK builds a lead on them, then the whole plan falls apart.
OFFENSE:
Overview: As soon as I heard GT was the opponent, I immediately thought of their grind it out triple option attack. Indeed, GT is a very, very run-based, handing the ball off roughly 77% of the time (the 5th highest percentage in the nation. UK, for comparison, runs 63% of the time, 13th in the country. GT was not involved in many “run out the clock” situations, so those numbers are fairly legitimate. However, it is a wrong to assume that they are a grind it out team. Their .435 points per play is 30th in the country, better than UK’s .415 points per play. This number indicates a more explosive offensive than one might realize, capable of ripping off big plays. What really sticks out is pace. You think UK is a grind it out team at 71 plays per game? Think again. Tech musters a meager 60 plays per game—dead last in college football. That, my friends, is a grind it out offense.
As for that triple option attack, it is just as advertised. Running plays from both under center and the pistol (and occasionally the shotgun) Tech will hit you with a variety of sweeps, options, veers, dives, draws, and—yes—cut blocks. The team as a whole is undersized, but they try to make up for it with precision assignment football, and defenses must account for every man on the field every play.
QB: Justin Thomas is the man here. The undersized (5’11 185) senior struggled last year breaking in underclassmen all around him. This year, though, Thomas has been flanked by veterans and has been very effective (within the confines of GT’s offense). Thomas has made good reads on the option, and when called on to run, has been generally effective (657 yards @ 5.7 yards per carry). GT obviously doesn’t want or need Thomas to throw very often. When he does throw he’s only marginally effective. His completion rate is a meager 54.5% with just over 9 yards per attempt. Don’t let his throwing fool you, though. His best qualities are his leadership and decision making—both of which are excellent. One positive note—from UK’s perspective—is that Thomas is fumble prone, coughing the ball up nine times this year.
RB: GT took a big hit when B-Back SO Marcus Marshall decided to transfer. In GT’s offense, the B-Back lines up behind the QB and gets most of the “conventional” hand-offs (dives, draws, off-tackle). Marshall was their leading yards per carry runner and was second to Johnson in total yards. Some reports from Atlanta indicate that Marshall believed he wasn’t getting enough carries, leading to his departure. In his stead, GT will lean more on true FR Dedrick Mills, who actually had 25 more carries than Marshall. The 5’10 217 lbs. back earned the coaching staff’s confidence as the season wore on, massing over 600 yards and 11 TD’s. At the A-Back, GT will rely on the trio of SO’s Qua Searcy and Clinton Lynch, and JR J.J. Green. All three are smallish (around 5’10 185 lbs.) flanker types that line up on the wings and take motion sweeps, counters, and the option pitch. While none of them are bruisers, each is capable of popping off big plays. Can UK stuff Mills in the middle while containing Thomas and his A-Backs in check on the edge? The answer to that question will be the key to the game.
WR: When you go play WR at GT, you’d better be ready to block. SO Brad Stewart (6’1, 197 lbs.) and JR Ricky Jeune (6’3 212 lbs.) both fit the bill. They are both willing, physical blockers—if not elite pass catchers. Jeune is the best pass catcher of the group, a possession type that runs good routes. His 22 catches and 37.4% target rate are the most of anyone else on the team—but at only 7.5 yards per catch. Oddly enough, Jeune has struggled with drops, catching only 45% of passes thrown to him. Stewart is more of a big play threat, but the real big play danger comes from A-Back Lynch, who gets has 16 catches for over 30 yards a catch.
OL: GT’s Oline is exactly what you’d expect from a triple-option team: smallish, under the radar blockers that have the agility and dexterity to get out on the edge or the second level. In fact, none of GT’s starting offensive linemen are at 300 lbs. The heaviest is SR C Freddie Burden, the 299 lbs. anchor of the line. Injuries pushed true freshmen LT Jahaziel Lee (6’2, 267 lbs.) and LG Parker Braun (6’3, 280 lbs.). Both have held their own, but their lack of size cannot be denied. The right side is manned by So. RG Will Bryan and Jr. RT Andrew Marshall. If you take the time to watch some of GT’s film, you’d know that their reputation as savage cut blockers is well-deserved. Can UK’s DL occupy the GT OL, keeping the legs of the LB’s and secondary safe? We’ll have to wait and see.
____________________________________________________________________
DEFENSE: On defense, GT is giving up 26.4 points per game. At first glance, that’s much better than UK’s 32.8 points per game. But, given GT penchant for ball control on offense, their points per game should be much lower. And, upon closer inspection, a trend starts showing up in their defense. Most of their low scoring games were early in the season against weaker opponents. Mercer, Vandy (the early season version of Vandy) and Boston College were all early on the schedule, with GT hold these three teams to a combined 31 points. Even their early game vs. Clemson (a 7 to 26 loss) offered some hope for the defense. After that game, though, the wheels came off. In a four game stretch, UNC, Duke, and Pitt would shred the defense to the tune of 40 points per game. Throw in a lackluster win against Georgia Southern—who put 24 points on them—and you have a picture of a reeling defense, gashed by big plays left and right.
In the last three games, all wins, they seem to have righted the ship. The question remains, though: which GT defense will show up? The one being manhandled by UNC or the one that stifled VaTech? There is no consistent season arc for their defense, no lodestar on which to link their performance. The one common link to all of their woes is the inability to get off the field. Opponents convert 50% of their third down attempts against GT, 125th of 128 college teams. We know that it is an undersized, 4-3 unit that depends on discipline and technique rather than sheer athleticism. They have some playmakers, but their overall team speed and bulk leads me to believe they are vulnerable to a physical ground attack. They give up 4.9 yards per run attempt (89th in the country) and 7.1 yards per pass attempt (49th in the country), so the onus will most likely be on UK’s run game to ram it down their throats.
DL: The GT defensive line is anchored by Sr. DT Patrick Gamble. Gamble is a small but disruptive force that specializes in shooting the center/guard gap and making tackles in the backfield. His 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks leads the team. Sr. DT Francis Kallon is more of a run stuffer and ends Freeman and Rook-Chungong are smallish (245 lbs) defensive ends that, frankly, don’t generate much in the way of pass rush or stops behind the line.
LB: Perhaps the weakest area of the defense, GT runs a traditional 4-3 LB unit. SO Brant Mitchell is in the middle, while David Curry and P.J. Davis. It’s worth noting that the linebackers don’t get nearly as many tackles as the safties. Tech’s LB’s have struggled getting stops behind the line and only account for about 20% of the team tackles.
SC: SS Corey Griffin and FS A.J. Gray are first and second on the team in tackles, respectively. Both provide experience and excellent run support. Jr. Corner Lance Austin is one of the better corners in the ACC. Both he and his running mate Step Durham are tall, long corners that prefer zone coverage to man to man. They are physical, though, and have excellent ball skills.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K/P: Kicker Harrison Butker is accurate, has a great leg, and is one of the more effective special team weapons in the ACC. Punter Ryan Rodwell averages over 40 yards a punt and puts nearly 60% of his punts inside the twenty.
KR/PR: When not lined up at A-Back, J.J. Green an effective, sometimes electric kick returner, averaging over 26 yards per return with a touchdown on the year. Punt returner Brad Stewart is very similar to UK’s Charles Walker. His primary job is to not fumble, evidenced by his 2 to 1 fair catch to return ratio.
GAMEPLAN:
To win this game, GT will do the obvious: run the hell out of the ball and control the clock. When their defense is left on the field too long, they get into an untenable situation (like at North Carolina) very quickly. Unlike teams that run to set up the pass, GT runs to set up . . . runs! First on the edge, then to the middle, and then the counter; each run setting up the next. GT prides itself on doing more with less, recruiting under the radar types and plugging them into a system that requires discipline and smarts. If UK builds a lead on them, then the whole plan falls apart.